Page 57 of The Court of Truth

The library and grocery stores are also high on North’s agenda, while the homes will come in time. His words, not mine.

Watching as the cement mixer whirls beside me, I’m intrigued as they attempt to build on top of the foundations that still remain for the school. Everything is so… hands on. I almost feel out of my depth with it. I’m so used to being with my magic now that it’s hard to recall living on the farm and doing everything by hand to blend in.

“Queenie!”

I’m startled from my thoughts by Janie’s shout over the machinery, and I whip my head in that direction to find her waving me over. Kryll is at her side before I am, peering at something over her shoulder before his wild eyes find me.

“You’re going to want to see this,” he states, and I’m rushing toward them before I even realize it.

Kryll takes a step back as Janie holds out her hand, offering me a piece of paper, and I tentatively take it from her hand.

My heart stops all together before it slowly starts up again, spiking at an increasing rate as I struggle to catch my breath.

It’s a picture.

Two children.

One boy. One girl.

He stands a few inches taller than the little girl, his smile spread from ear to ear as he drapes his arm around her shoulders, but the glare on her face is undeniable. With her arms folded over her chest and a pout on her lips, she looks as grumpy then as she does now.

They’re not just any two children.

No.

They’re far more familiar than that.

It’s my father and Clementine.

Running my thumb over the image of my father as a child, a warmth spreads through my veins. His smile is real and full of energy, not even a little bit dampened by the glaring girl at his side.

There has to be more than what meets the eye. A story only they can tell. But more importantly, why is it here?

“Do you think she left this on purpose?” I ask, already knowing the answer in my gut.

“I can’t imagine why else it would be here,” Kryll admits, increasing the tension in my shoulders, which only tightens when I try to take a soothing deep breath.

Flipping the picture over, I wonder if there’s anything on the other side, but it’s blank. There’s no hint, no clue, not even a minuscule lead that would explain why it’s here or why she would want me to find it.

It’s another part of her mind games that I’m becoming accustomed to. It’s nothing like appearing in the prison cell beside me, luring me in with half-spoken stories to reveal my secrets, and it’s nothing at all like being hidden in the kiss of death that was implanted in my flesh, but it’s still up there.

Folding the image in half, I slip it into my pocket for safe keeping.

“Is everything okay?” Commander North asks, approaching from my left, and I smile.

“Everything’s fine,” I admit, ghosting my hand over the pocket of my pants, and he nods, seemingly happy to accept the brush off.

“I’m trying to figure out why you are still here,” he blurts, rolling his shoulders back as he cocks a brow at me, and I frown.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, there’s been another attack. Half of your patrol has gone while the other half remain with you. With us. Why? Why didn’t you all leave together?” he pushes, confusion clear in his words, and I shake my head.

“I already told you. I promised I would help. I’m not done helping,” I insist, and a smirk teases the corner of his mouth.

“You’re stubborn, you know that?”

Kryll snickers beside me. “You haven’t seen anything yet,” he adds, earning a glare from me as Janie grins at him.

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